The truth about Tuning

[whitels1ss]

being in the trade myself its quite easy as u can tell when someone it dribbling shit
otherwise there is reputation but not just the rep that u hear about from the people that go there cause its easy and local or a one stop shop in some cases

Yeah mate I have been in the trade for many years also, it is frustrating to hear some of the dribble that comes out of the salespeople
(yeah that can be workshops, dentists, solicitors, real estate agents, snake oil sellers...anyone selling goods or service)
and watching people getting sucked in because they are liking what they hear.
The problem is that customers often don't know better and make mistakes of choice.
Anyway all good buddy, have a good night

[bozodos]

interesting video.
I think the best way to find a workshop without getting ripped off is to let them know you're not completely clueless.

Some people are happy just to fork out the dollars for a particular result.

I have also noticed that my local mechanic does a bit of everything, engine assembly, general servicing, tuning, suspension, exhausts, forced induction etc etc, but specialises in LSx and US Muscle cars. I was talking to him recently and he mentioned the problem lately of a lot of people going in there and wanting "300rwkw" without a thought given to driveability, actual usage of the car, people having shit tunes that they then expect him to fix at a heavily discounted rate rather than an actual retune etc.

I probably would be less likely to ask lots of questions / supply my own parts that i have researched and want to use at a well known shop, but the only well known one in town is VERY patchy about user experiences (from people i know who have gone there) however seems to enjoy a good rep online.

I think that Vinny Ten makes a good point - if you're too slack to do your research on a particular shop before going there and pick one that's not suitable for the job, then you shouldn't be upset when you take it somewhere else and get charged full price to fix it. OTOH the tuner should be responsible enough to let someone know if they don't think they are going to be able to do the job properly, or are lacking some of the skills needed. Some mechanics are just genuinely shithouse, I've dealt with enough to know!

[BEARWOOD]

I think some people are missing his point.

*I seen on the internet someone making 1000hp with a similar car to mine so nothing under 1000hp is acceptable
*You were to expensive to do the job but now i'm back wanting it cheaper because other shops have not delivered what i wanted/expected
*I have $1000 and i want a race car
*I want to have a drag car that i can cruise around in with all my mates and it has to be the best at both
*A young bloke has recently set up his own shop and now tunes and builds engines and he's really cheap

I can just picture the people saying these things and i understand what this bloke is saying which is...."good sales people dont always make good mechanics so take some responsibility and do your homework"

[whitels1ss]

I think some people are missing his point.

*I seen on the internet someone making 1000hp with a similar car to mine so nothing under 1000hp is acceptable
*You were to expensive to do the job but now i'm back wanting it cheaper because other shops have not delivered what i wanted/expected
*I have $1000 and i want a race car
*I want to have a drag car that i can cruise around in with all my mates and it has to be the best at both
*A young bloke has recently set up his own shop and now tunes and builds engines and he's really cheap

I can just picture the people saying these things and i understand what this bloke is saying which is...."good sales people dont always make good mechanics so take some responsibility and do your homework"

Yeah buddy heard all those points but at the end of the day that is the sort of stuff the guy will be told every day in the business by customers
there is no point in him making inetrnet videos ranting on about it, he will hear that,
he should just suck it up and not have a big cry about it or get out if he can't handle it.

[5.7heaven]

not picking on u or your old man mate but...he might been a good mechanic or engine builder back in the day but the reason he didnt have a clue about it is because he looked at it but didnt think about it. he and alot of other people also didnt have the will power to think and learn. in other words just seen it and thought **** that

im the opposite. i see old school cars with 13km of vaccuum lines and rubber hoses and think f*&% that, give me fuel injection anyday

[SSer]

I looked at the video a different way. Sure the guy was rambling a bit, but I think he has the intentions of the car scene at heart. The guy has probably seen so many potentials come and go because he was a touch more expensive, only to see them come back with their car in pieces, and their back pocket a whole bunch lighter. Im sure all performance shops would have?

As a performance shop customer, the way I saw it he was saying was to do your research first, so you don't end up back at a reputable, well rated shop with your tail between your legs. Just because one quote is cheaper, and the shop tells you what you want to hear doesn't mean that they will do a good job, or even know what they are doing.

It could well be viewed different by people in the industry, but interpretation is an individual thing. On reflection I can see the point of view of some others here, but don't discount others views because they differ.

[swingtan]

Lots of euphemisms, lots of rants and lots of truth.... in the end though, it's all part of the business ( and not just the automotive industry ).

He's got good points, but they tend to get a little lost in the ranting, it does go to show how much it upsets him and rightfully so.

For those about to fork out hard earned money, sit down with the whoever is going to provide said service/hardware/etc. and explain what you want, what you are willing to pay and how long you are willing to wait. Clearly define the final results and where possible, put it in writing. The same goes for the provider of said service/hardware/etc. If there are any issues down the line, the documentation will show what's been expected.

For those that have already spent the cash and are now left with something other than what you wanted, it's a bit of tough luck. You might be able to negotiate a fix with the original supplier, but maybe not. You certainly can't expect a different place to give you a discount and fix someone else's problems. This holds true for the automotive trade, hose building etc. Any time you take a half finished product to a new supplier, expect to pay more than you would have for the original work. That's just the way it is.

Really, it's all about "expectation management". Too many people start with the wrong expectation and never look back to see if they should change. I've done some tuning work for guys that have been extremely unhappy with work done. I've always stated that I'll "try and make it better" and that's the expectation I've set. I'll ask them for a list of issues and then decide if I think I can fix them, before I even look at the tune. Sometimes I've sourced an original tune and started from scratch, sometimes I've been able to tweak the existing tune successfully. However, if you go in expecting the worst, you're less likely to be disappointed.

Sometimes it's a steep learning curve for both parties involved and sometimes you should just walk away no matter which side of the deal you are on.

Simon.

[h41ry]

Lots of euphemisms, lots of rants and lots of truth.... in the end though, it's all part of the business ( and not just the automotive industry ).

He's got good points, but they tend to get a little lost in the ranting, it does go to show how much it upsets him and rightfully so.

For those about to fork out hard earned money, sit down with the whoever is going to provide said service/hardware/etc. and explain what you want, what you are willing to pay and how long you are willing to wait. Clearly define the final results and where possible, put it in writing. The same goes for the provider of said service/hardware/etc. If there are any issues down the line, the documentation will show what's been expected.

For those that have already spent the cash and are now left with something other than what you wanted, it's a bit of tough luck. You might be able to negotiate a fix with the original supplier, but maybe not. You certainly can't expect a different place to give you a discount and fix someone else's problems. This holds true for the automotive trade, hose building etc. Any time you take a half finished product to a new supplier, expect to pay more than you would have for the original work. That's just the way it is.

Really, it's all about "expectation management". Too many people start with the wrong expectation and never look back to see if they should change. I've done some tuning work for guys that have been extremely unhappy with work done. I've always stated that I'll "try and make it better" and that's the expectation I've set. I'll ask them for a list of issues and then decide if I think I can fix them, before I even look at the tune. Sometimes I've sourced an original tune and started from scratch, sometimes I've been able to tweak the existing tune successfully. However, if you go in expecting the worst, you're less likely to be disappointed.

Sometimes it's a steep learning curve for both parties involved and sometimes you should just walk away no matter which side of the deal you are on.

Simon.

that is exactly right..even as a mechanic myself there is nothing worse than fixing other peoples **** ups and even though u may have fix the obvious sometimes other things pop up along the way which then leaves the customer blaming the person that last touched it
to me this video makes perfect sense its not something that i would do. yeah i might winge and carry on while trying to fix it and might bring it up every now and then with friends but i would never waste my time making a video about it
but everyone has their own ways and utube is becoming very popular these days. this bloke hasnt done anything wrong its just his way of expressing it

[Woodchukka]

Another way to look at it is the old chestnut 'people taking responsibility for their actions'. Both the people that carry out poor quality work or those with unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved getting fleeced.

[Wonky]

Another way to look at it is the old chestnut 'people taking responsibility for their actions'. Both the people that carry out poor quality work or those with unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved getting fleeced.

Unfortunately these days the number of people prepared to take responsibility for their own actions is on the decline......... If more people were prepared to do so the world would be a much better place!

[Woodchukka]

Unfortunately these days the number of people prepared to take responsibility for their own actions is on the decline......... If more people were prepared to do so the world would be a much better place!

Agreed. Granted I understand why people admitting fault is like doing this to themselves.